Chick-fil-a: Is it Worth the Wait?
The opening of the new Chick- fil- A in Norwalk, CT has driven the normally calm and composed Darienites absolutely crazy! The prospect of finally getting this delicious “cuisine” in Fairfield County (that before was acquired via a roadtrip), has not only created traffic jams on the Post Road, but excited customers even camped out in the parking lot the night before the restaurant opened. People around town seem to worship this southern chain restaurant based in San Antonio, TX.
I decided to take a trip to Chick- fil- A (which is about five minutes from my house, approximately the same distance away as McDonald’s). I can drive to McDonald’s, order my meal, and return home in close to 15 minutes. The Chick -fil- A experience is a whole different ballgame, but worth it. First, the line was out the door, so just ordering my food took over 25 minutes.
Lauren Reesor, a senior at Darien High School who works at Chick-fil-a told me that “The first day of work was pretty insane, we served 46,000 people, but the next day we actually served more!”
Personally, you could not pay me to have gone that first day. While the line moved very slowly, once my order was taken the process sped up. Also, the workers who stand outside and take your order are extremely nice. I was wearing a University of Tennessee shirt and was instantly greeted by a woman with a southern accent saying “Hi, are you from Tennessee?” This personal and charming service is one of the many reasons Chick-fil-A is a uniquely popular institution.
I ordered two chicken sandwiches, nuggets, and the chain’s famous waffle fries. Since there is no charge for extra sauce, I was able to load up on them, which allowed me to try all of the different varieties. My favorite sauce was the Chick- fil- A signature sauce, although the honey mustard was a close second. My least favorite of the bunch was the buffalo sauce; Chick-fil-A will not be a threat to one of my other favorite restaurants, Buffalo Wild Wings! As for the food itself, I preferred the spicy chicken over the regular chicken because of its intense flavor and the fact that the sandwich was topped with pepper jack cheese. The nuggets were good (my dog Lovey enjoyed them also) and the fries were incredible. Some of the beverages were not so straightforwardly delicious. For example, Mike Neary, a DHS senior, described the frosty lemonade as more of a “lemonade milkshake, which threw me off and confused me, kind of like a roller coaster ride.” I completely agree with Mike as the lemonade was a bit strange, and I am still trying to decide if this is a good or bad thing.
Chick- Fil- A’s dine in service is unlike most other fast food chains as it has more of a restaurant vibe since you sit at tables and workers deliver your food to you After you order, you are allowed to go right to your table in contrast to other fast food restaurants where you have to wait near the order line for your number to be called and food delivered. Another way that Chick-Fil-A’s dine-in service is superior to comparable restaurants is its generous handing out of sauces. You do not have to ask the server for more than the usual one or two packets provided. Instead, customers are given a plastic bucket of 4-6 sauces which adds spice and variety to the dining experience.
Almost everyone at this school has been to Chick-fil-A already. General consensus seems to be summarized by junior Alan Hyatt who described Chick fil a as being “just so good.” Big Al, I could not agree more!